


Going Home.

by Gelflings_in_a_Tardis



Series: Death is the Beginning. [2]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Afterlife, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Reunited and It Feels So Good, so many feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2019-04-13 16:06:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14115966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gelflings_in_a_Tardis/pseuds/Gelflings_in_a_Tardis
Summary: Briar adjusts to life in Yavanna's Gardens and gets visitors.





	Going Home.

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't resist adding another work and reuniting one of my OTP's in the afterlife. This ties into my fic Fade into Me.

It made sense now that Briar thought about it that Mahal's Halls shared a border with Yavanna's Gardens.

They were husband and wife after all.

 

Yavanna's Gardens were amazing and seemed boundless aside from where it met Mahal's Halls. Briar felt like she had walked as far as she had on the quest and there were still hills in the distance that she could only dream of reaching. She contented herself with residing in the gardens that neighbored Mahal's realm and there she made a home. Yavanna granted her request for a Smial that resembled Bag End and Briar felt content.

She found many family members in the Gardens, each one having found a spot that suited them to make their home till Yavanna chose to send them back.

Briar had been saddened that her parents were not there to greet her right away when she arrived and her depression only seemed to deepen as what felt like weeks passed without them appearing.

She cried and threw things, cursed the sky and everyone that resided under it. The struggle to get a handle on her emotions felt like she was riding a mine cart again with no brakes and she was careening through space with no idea the destination.

Yavanna visited her often and Briar alternated between Thanking the Vala for bringing her there and begging her to send her back.

She pleaded with the Green Mother to let her go back even for just a little while.

_She had so much left undone._

__  
There was so many things she needed to finish and then she would come right back  
  


_She just needed to make sure everyone was alright and make sure Lobelia didn't get her spoons._

Sadness glowed in Yavanna's eyes as she shook her head while Briar sobbed to go back "I'm sorry, my daughter but I cannot send you back. That's not how this works and you know that. Your soul needs to rest and recover before I can send you back."

The Hobbit sank to her knees with great shuddering sobs while nodding her head to the truth in the words.  
"I'm all alone. He promised I'd never be alone again but I'm here all alone." she cried turning her tear streaked face up to the Vala.  
Yavanna gave her a small knowing smile "Not for long."

  
As if by magic there was a knock at the door and it was music to Briar's ears. It felt like it had been forever since she had seen anyone but Yavanna in this place.

Tears started flowing fresh as the round door swung open to reveal her parents standing on the threshold smiling as they stepped forward to embrace her. Bungo and Belladonna looked exactly as they had when she was a faunt, as they had before the Fell Winter stole her Mother and grief wasted her Father away.

"My darling girl."

"My sweet lass."

The words were a balm to her sore heart and she clutched at her parents like she was a fauntling again.

 _"I've missed you both so much!"_ she choked out and knew they were just as seized with emotions as they held her tighter.  


Her parents eased pains she hadn't even known she'd had and her Mother in particular helped her through the emotions that seemed to go hand in hand with dying a violent death. Even though she had died feeling loved there was no denying that being stabbed in the heart by your lover was a violent way to die.

Time flowed through the Gardens at the whim of Yavanna and Briar gave up trying to keep track of how it was passing for Thorin. She settled into a comfortable rhythm with her parents again though they didn't move in with her; instead they kept their own version of Bag End near hers and visited daily for tea  
.

She soon learned that new souls arrived during thunder storms and when she asked the Vala why the only response she received was "To make the grass grow."

  
Lightening heralded the Hobbits and Thunder announced the Dwarves; the dwarves occasionally entered the Gardens but that didn't occur too often and it was unheard of Hobbit's visiting Mahal's Halls.

Briar thought about visiting Mahal's Halls many times but she hesitated every time she reached the Garden gate.

_What if they view me as a traitor?_  
  
What if they agree with Thorin killing me? 

_What if they hate Hobbits?_  
  
What if? What if? What if?  
  
  
So she never crossed the gate and instead stood on the edge and looked wistfully at the carved rock front of the massive stone structure. Mahal's Halls looked to be carved from a mountain many times larger than Erebor and the top stretched up to disappear into the clouds. She looked and she wondered if the inside looked anything like Erebor or since it was the realm of a Valar it was probably much more extravagant. But she could never get the nerve to cross the boundary to find out.  

She was working in her garden with her mother when a cloudburst chased them under the eaves of Briar's door. They watched the sky and were surprised when a roll of thunder seemed to end the rain.  
Before she could think Briar's feet were running her down the lane towards to Garden Gate and her heart leapt as a familiar figure opened it.

"BALIN!" she shouted as she picked up speed towards the red robed dwarf. A smile lit his face and he looked exactly like he had when he stepped through the door of her home so long ago.

The snowy bearded scribe caught her and squeezed her so tight she thought she'd burst.

"Ah lassie, it is grand to see you again."

She smiled with tears in her eyes as she looked up into his warm brown eyes.

"I've missed you so much!"  
The tears that had formed in the corners of Balin's kind eyes stunned Briar "I have missed you, my dear. I never thought I'd see you again after Thorin carried your b...body into the camp."   
Her heart ached at the pain that washed across his features as he recalled the last time he'd seen her.   
"Oh Balin, I'm so sorry." she whispered giving his warm calloused hands a squeeze.   
That earned her a wet chuckle "How very Hobbitish, Lass. Apologizing for your death causing me pain."   
She shrugged and gave him a small apologetic smile.

 

As she bustled around the kitchen Briar couldn't believe Balin was there even as she served him tea and she hugged him again just to make sure he was real.

"So," she let it hang in the air as she perched on her seat across from him and watched as he sipped the black tea. They had already spoken of how her death had affected the Company when Thorin carried her body back to camp long after the sun had set. He had told her without sparing any detail how Thorin had refused to hardly eat or sleep, only drinking any alcohol that made it within his reach until Dis had showed up in the middle of a blizzard. The princess had ridden hard for the Mountain after her sons had sent her an urgent raven informing her that Thorin was trying to drink himself to death and wouldn't make it to spring. It had taken Dis over a year to get Thorin back into shape fit for ruling. Luckily Fili was able to take over with Balin and Kili as his advisers until his Uncle was mostly recovered.   
The lads had been devastated to put it lightly and had stopped speaking to Thorin unless it was unavoidable. Fili met a lovely dwarrowdam and last Balin knew had two daughters, one of which was named Briar. The Princes had built her a beautiful tomb in the heart of the Mountain with their own hands and the help of Dwalin; many paid their respects every day to the Hobbit that had helped reclaim their home. Thorin went daily sometimes staying there for most of the day until Dis or Dwalin dragged him back to his chambers to rest.    
Dwalin never said much after her death unless he was drunk then he cried about how he should have been there to protect her. Balin informed her that the reason Dwalin wasn't there was because Bolg had broken the warrior's leg. So it's not like he could run across the battlefield like that. Dwalin had mourned her the best way he could; by getting a tattoo of a rose with thorns around it on his shoulder.  
She learned that Bofur had stopped making toys and went back to mining with Bifur citing that his heart was too heavy for such light hearted work now.   
Bombur made sure to make one of her dishes for every Company dinner which they had 2 a week.    
Gloin had made sure that every cent of her share was accounted for and then some. He handled everything to make sure the money went where she had wanted and when Dale had been given all they needed Gloin had set up accounts to safe guard it.   
Oin had wept the entire time he cleaned her wounds and stitched them shut. He had made her look the best possible for her funeral which everyone still standing had attended.   
Dori had made her a dress similar to the one she was wearing when they first met, out of his and his brothers spare clothes. He had even procured lace from somewhere for the trim and she was buried wearing a shire dress fit for a queen. Nori had disappeared for over a year returning just before Thorin took over from Fili. The spy master could often be found drinking Dwalin where they cried together about the Hobbit Lass they couldn't protect.   
Ori handled it the worst out the lot aside from Thorin. The young scribe stopped writing in his journals and threw himself into his work of transcribing and writing treaties for Fili. It took Balin many years to convince Ori to take up his quill again and then the younger dwarf used his old journal to write the story of their Quest. 

He gave her a knowing smile and quirked a white brow at her "Ask away my dear."

She let out her breath in a whoosh as questions began to bubble up like a fountain in her chest.   
"What happened? Do you know how everyone else is? I haven't seen any of the Company.  _HowlonghaveIbeengone?HowisThorin?_ " her words ran together at the end as she finished the breath and the pain that lanced through her breast at saying his name for the first time in so long.  
"I'll start from the top," he held up his fingers to tick off his answers in order. "I died from a combination of old age and a poisoned arrow wound from an Orc archer. Bloody bastard shot me when I went to visit the grave of a friend. I was a Lord of my own Kingdom when I passed. We reclaimed Moria and I ruled it for 5 years. Two: everyone was fine last I knew. Ori is in Moria as we speak as a scribe along with Oin in his usual roll."

He leaned forward and patted her hand "You've been gone almost 50 years, my dear. Thorin was still King Under the Mountain last we had heard. He never remarried or even took a mistress; he has been a good King. Just and Fair, he even set up a fund to help new mothers to boost the population and it did wonders. He used your share of the treasure after he helped Bard rebuild Dale to help the families of the dwarrow that fell in the Battle of Five Armies."

She felt warmth bloom in her chest at all the good Thorin had done and she smiled through her tears.

Balin became a regular fixture around her home, rarely going back to Mahal's Halls and instead took up residence in one of her spare bedrooms most of the time. Yavanna seemed to enjoy his company stopping by to visit a bit more often than before and Briar found her self serving tea to the Green Mother weekly while they discussed the happenings of Middle Earth.  
  


A tempest blew in with winds so high that they uprooted the trees behind her home and the thunder sounded like drums underground. Once it was safe to step foot out the of the smial they raced to the Garden Gate to see what had happened.

She and Balin were floored to see so many Dwarrow going into the Halls.

They shared a look as she whispered "What do you think happened?"

 

"BRIAR! BALIN! MAHAL I CANNOT BELIEVE IT'S YOU!"

A russet head could be seen bouncing through the crowd towards the gate and Briar couldn't believe her eyes when Ori popped out dragging Oin behind him.

 

The group spent forever at the gate hugging and crying before Briar thought to invite the new dwarves back to her home.

Ori was brimming with questions and lamenting the fact his journal didn't come with him to which Oin asked him how it could have. They were delighted to discover that Oin's hearing was perfect again and he laughed about all the things he misheard on the journey.

Ori was the one to tell Balin that Moria had fallen again, that he had died against Balin's tomb from a goblin's arrow and then Oin added that he had tried to save some of their people only to meet his end with The Watcher.

Balin was beside himself that his Kingdom had fallen so quickly and was saddened that all his people had perished either by goblins or Durin's Bane.  
  


Time skipped forward while they settled into a new rhythm and her parents got acquainted with part of the group responsible for whisking their only child off on a dangerous quest across Middle Earth.

Bungo made a new friend when he gifted Ori with a leather bound journal for him to write down everything his little heart desired; they spent many days lounging under the oak tree in back talking about scholarly pursuits.

Oin seemed to just enjoy the peace of Briar's home claiming that Mahal's Halls were too noisy for his returned hearing; he could be found napping just about anywhere most days.  
  


Something that Briar had barely notice and the Dwarves brought it back to her attention was how the seasons never really changed in the Gardens. If anything it seemed like they might shift between Summer and Spring but there seemed be no Autumn and absolutely no Winter.

"I am the Green Mother and my Gardens are always in the season of growing."

A thundershower rolled through and with it came Bifur and Bofur to (new) Bag End. Briar was overjoyed to see one of her dearest friend walking through the Garden Gate and they hugged with tears flowing freely for long time. The cousins had been caught in a cave-in and were surprisingly alright with being dead. Both cited that they were ready for some well-deserved rest and that they too would be staying with her instead of in Mahal's Halls. They were delighted to discover that Bifur could converse in Westron now and they spent many nights talking about everything he had wished to convey on the Quest.

Not long after the cousins arrival a gale whipped through the hills and with it brought Dwalin.

The warrior had died a peaceful death to his disgust and distaste. He had hoped to fall protecting Thorin or the lads or at least in battle rather than old age claiming him in his sleep.  
"Can't believe I died like poncy Man. If I had  _ **KNOWN**  _I was going to kick the bucket I would have gone looking for some orcs." the bald warrior grumbled into his tiny tea cup while Balin struggled to not roll his eyes at his younger brother's dramatics.

  
Briar wasn't sure what to make of the big dwarf basically pouting about how he died so she just made large batches of cookies and left him to sulk.

Turns out double chocolate chip cookies are remarkably in ending someone's epic pout.    
  
  
He hadn't been there long when Yavanna appeared walking up the lane hand in hand with a tall Man sporting a flaming red hair and beard to match.

The stranger smiled down at her as his voice rumbled sounding very similar to a rock slide "I had to meet the little lady that has enticed so many of my children to leave my Halls for greener pasture." he winked at her.

Briar felt her cheeks heat up at his cheeky flirting even as it clicked that this was  **Mahal**! She dropped into a deep curtsy to the Creator of the Dwarves as she tried to string together the words of apology for "stealing" his dwarrow.

Yavanna giggled brightly as Mahal shushed her "It is fine, little one. If they prefer it here with one they have claimed as their own so be it. My wife's Garden is a lovely place to relax."

With those words he patted Briar's shoulder before turning to stroll down the path with Yavanna tucked close to him.

"Briar, who was that?" called Ori from the round door of their home.

She couldn't help but stare until they were out of her sight before she whispered her answer "That was Yavanna and Mahal."

Ori fell out the door and landed on his face.  
  
  


A hailstorm whipped through pummeling much of Briar's garden and snapping the stems of her vegetable plants.

As she and Ori stood outside surveying the damage and wondering at what could have caused such a storm here, a voice called out her name.

  
A voice that Briar had thought she'd never hear again.

_  
Thorin's._

  
Her furry feet were flying down the muddy lane faster than she thought possible as her heart pounded in her ears.

 

He was here.

 

_Really here._

 

She skidded to a stop in-front of him and stared up into his regal blue eyes while she panted for breath.  
Time seem to stretch between them as they drank in the details of the other. Her heart had calmed and she was no longer panting for breath; she became very aware of her mud splattered skirt and she just knew that there was pollen smudges on her apron. Red flushed cheeks and fly away cinnamon curls flashed through her mind’s eye as she took in his clean tunic, polished boots and tidy braids.

"I-" she snapped her mouth shut and felt her ears heat up as words seemed to flee her; her gaze retreated to her muddy toes while she mentally kicked herself for not having anything prepared to say.

" _Âzyungel."_  his baritone whisper wrapped around her and she jerked her gaze up to meet his cerulean one.

A small smile lifted the corners of his full lips and he held his arms open to her.  
Briar felt tears burn behind her eyes as she jumped into his embrace, burying her face in his shoulder as he held her so tight it made it hard to breath.

"Briar, I am so sorry.  _Menu tessu. Men lananubukhs me._  Please forgive me." he whispered into her curls.

A sob erupted as she nodded her head and squeezed him tighter.  
  
Her feet finally found the ground again but they didn't release their hold of each other.

 _"I've waited for you for so long."_  she breathed.

He smiled "I was busy making sure I deserved you."

She surged upward and sealed her lips against his. They were as soft as she remembered in her dreams and his tastes was still the same heady mix that rivaled the strongest spirits she'd ever had. 

  
"Took long enough." a deep growl stated behind them. 

Sometime later found them releasing each other to find everyone standing a ways behind them smiling. Bungo and Belladonna were even there to meet the Dwarven King that had so much influence on their daughter's life; behind them stood Yavanna and Mahal smiling fondly at them.

Briar's heart felt fuller and lighter at that moment than it had since she raced out her door to go on that crazy quest.  
  
"Let's go Home." 


End file.
